Corn popper



Dec. 30, 1930. E B, THOMPSON 1,78,877

CORN POPPER j2me/2507:

Dec. 30, 1930. E. B. THOMPSON v 1,786,877

' CORN POPPER Filed Feb. 20, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 30, 1930 AUNITED STATES PATENT orrlcu ELMEB B. THOMPSON. OF DES MOINES, IOWA, ASSIGNOR TO NATIONAL SALES ANI) MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF DES MOINES, IOWA, A. CORPORATION OF IOWA.

`CORN P01-"PEB Application med February 20, 1928. Serial No. 255,648.

The object of my invention is to provide a corn pepper of simple, durable and inexpensive construction, having the form of a single unit 'capable of being easily moved from one `position to another, and employing an electric stirring mechanism andy heating unit, and

particularly adapted to be used on vstore counters. f v

A further object is to provide a compact corn pepper having a popping kettle, including an electric heating unit and means l:for stirring the corn in the kettle, said popperincluding means whereby the .kettle may be easily and quickly detached for cleaningZ and the like. Y Y A further object is to provide an improved cover for the kettle. 4

A further object is to provide a cornpopper havin an upright conical base with 2o means in t e base for operating the stirring mechanism of the popper, and to provide improved means for connecting the stirring mechanism of the'popper with the, power means.

A further object is to provide in an electrically operated corn pepper, improved means for stirring the corn within the poper. f p My invention consists in the construction, varrangement and combination ot the various parts of the device, whereby the ob'ects contemplated are attained, as -hereina ter more fully set forth, pointed 'out in myclaims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation o m l limproved popper, a portion of the base and'aportion of the kettle being shown in section; 'J

Figure 2 is a vertical, central,sectional view of the same.V f i y Figure 3 is an enlarged, detail view of the v hinge mechanism for supporting the cover.

Figure i/is an enlarged detail view of 'the y hinge mechanism for supporting the popping .-ket Ae.

`Figure 5 is a diagram of the electric circuit. f My improved popper comprises a hollowv y conical base 1,0 having an opening 11 near its bottom,`and a'base board 12. A hood13 projects laterally from the opening 11 and makes connection with the base 12 to form a compartment 14 for receiving the electric motor 15. `Flanges 16 are provided for permanently fastening the base to a :dooror counter, if so desired,'by means of suitable screws 17. The upper end of the base 10 is open and designed to support the popping kettle 18. One side of the kettle 18 is prov1ded with a bracket 19 vwhich projectsdownwardly and outwardly and terminates in a forked portion 20 for receiving a bracket 21 from the base 10. A rod 22 is provided for pivotally con-v ,necting the brackets 19 and 21. One end of the rod 22 is bent downwardly to receive the handle 23. The rod 22 is detachably mounted so that the kettle 18 may be easily and quickly removed when so desired. The member 19 is pivotally mounted so the kettle may be swung to a position where thecontents of the kettle may be emptied by gravity;

The kettle 18 is provided with an interlining or skillet 24, which has an outwardly extendingliange 25 resting on the upper edge of the kettle member 18 and projecting slightly beyond the edge ofthe kettle so .that any grease collecting on the upper edge of the skillet will drip from the overhangiugl edge without running down the side of the kettle. The bottom of the skillet 24 is inclined slightly downwardly and inwardly, as clearly illustrated in Figure 2, and is sup` ported above the bottom of the kettle 18, sothat an electric heating unit 26 may be sup.- ported `beneath the kettle. The skillet and the heating unit are smaller thanl the kettle 18 so that a space 27 is provided, which is packed with heat insulating material 28. f

y30 is designed to rotatively receive a hub 31 mounted on theupper ndof the shaft 32, ro-

tatively mounted in the sleeve or. bearing 29. The hub 31 is provided with a. series of radial wires 33 which travel close fto the bottom 'of the skillet for the purpose of stirring the corn as the shaft 32 and the hub are rotated. 10u

IIE

The lower end of the shaft 32 projects below the bottom of the kettle a slight distance and is provided with a transversely arranged pin 34.

The base 10.has horizontally arranged bars 35 vand 36. The central portion of said bars are provided with bearing members 37 for rotatively receiving va vertical drive shaft 38. The upper end of the shaft 38 is provided With a collar 39 having a transversely arranged notch 40 in its upper end for receivin the pin 34 of the shaft 32, thereby provi ing a clutch member for detachably connecting the shafts 32 and 38 as the kettle 18 is swung from its horizontal position to its emptying position.

The lower end of the shaft 38 is provided with a worm gear 41 driven by means of a worm 42 mounted on the motor shaft 43. The worm gear 41 is lubricated by means of a fibrous roller 44 mounted on the vertical shaft 45 supported in the bar 36. The bar is provided with a hole 46, the outer end of which is tapped to receive an elbow 47. A small hole 48 is provided inl the bar 36 to permit oil from the hole 46 to drip on the wheel 44, thereby providing means for absorbin a small quantity of oil, which lis delivere to the elbow 47 anddistributed on the Worm gear 41 by making rolling contactwith the same. A second hole 49 is providedl in the bar 36 for lubricating the roller bearing of the shaft 38.

The upper end of the base l10 is also provided with a laterally extending bracket 50 having an upwardly extending post 51 at itsfouter end which terminates in a hinge member 52. A rod 53 is rotatively mounted in the member 52 having at its outer end an upwardl 'the handle 55. A

The kettle 18 is provided with a cover y56 which is in the form of an inverted pan. The central portion of the cover 56 is secured to a rod 57, whichhas its outer end project ing downwardly and terminates in a yoke 58 secured .tov the shaft 53 and ,straddles the member 52, thereby providing means wherebythe cover 56 may be easily and quickly swung to an open position by rocking thehandle member 55. Itl will be noted that the cover member swings in the opposite direction from the kettle, so that the cover does not interfere with the operation of the kettle.

The iront of the base 10 is provided with switches 59 and60. The switch 60 is sup=n ported Ain an electric circuit 61, which includes the heating element 26, while the switch 59 included in the motor circuit 62 for stopping" and starting the motor/15c .The conductors 61 of the heating circuit' include a plug 63, whereby the conductors may be AQuickly detached from the kettle 18 when it 1s `desired to remove the kettle from the base.

projecting portion 54ffor receiving Said kettle is provided with a horizontally arranged handle 64.

Thus it will be seen I have provided a corn popper of simple construction, in which the mechanism for operating the stirring device is mounted in the base of the popper so that the entire unit may be easily conveyed from one point to another, and placed on any suitable support, such as the counter of a store. The device is so constructed that it gives a neat and attractive appearance.

In the operation of the device, the rotation of the motor shaft 43 causes the shaft 38 to rotate, which in turn rotates the shaft 32, the hub 31 and the stirring rods 33, which are caused to travel close to the bottom of the skillet 24. The bottom of the skillet is inclined downwardly toward its center, to overcome to a certain extent the tendency of the grains of cornto move toward the outer edge of the skillet, due to the centrifugal action of the corn caused by the rods 33. This also prevents the popping oil from being moved from the central portion of the skillet to the outer edges, thereby providing means whereby the upper surface of the bottom of the skillet will be'uniformly covered with oil, which will be thoroughly mixed on the pop corn when placed inthe skillet.

Considerable advantage is gained in forming the skillet and kettle member in a fixed unit, which includes the heating element, so that the skillet is always in the proper relation with the heating element, thereby elim-s inating the necessity of readjusting the parts each time the skillet is removed for emptys ing. The shaft 32 is disconnected from the shaft 38 by disengagement of the pin 34 from the notch 40. The switches 59 and 60 are convenientlylocated .belowv the handle 64.

I claim as my invention:

y1. A corn popper comprising an upright vhollow conical base, a popper kettle suplported on the upper end of said base, said ettle including a skillet and a heating unit, means for pivotally connecting said kettle tov swing from an upright position to an invorteil/position, a stirring device within said skillet, electrical means supported in said base for actuatin said stirring device, and means for detacha ly connecting the stirring device-to/s'aid electrically operating means.

2. A corn popper comprising an upright A hollow b ase, a popping said base, a stirring device mounted in said resem pivotally connecting said cover to said base. 3. A corn popper com rising an upright et supported on skillet, means for operating said stirring de. vice, comprising an lupright 'shaft extending centrally and vertically throu h said base,y the lower end of said shaft. being provided with a worm gear,a motor shaft, a worm on v. so

said motor shaft inoperative relation with said worm gear, said shaft including a clutch member for detachably connecting thestirvringv mechanismVA of said skillet with said shaft.

a 4.- A corn pepper-comprising a base, combined skillet and kettle' members, said skillet having its bottom inclined downwardly toward 1ts center, an electrical heating means between said skillet and 'kettle members, said skillet and kettle members being pivotally supported on said base, a stirring device `Within the skillet, electrical means supported in said base for actuating said stirring device, and means for detachably connecting'the stirring device to said electrical operating means.l n

Des Moines, Iowa, December 7, 1927. Y

`ELMER B. THOMPSON. 

